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Showing Off
Listed under: Interviews
Published: Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Hilary Williams, owner of specialist fabric retailer The Silk Route, shares her take on how you can make this year's knitting and stitching show work for you
What are the challenges?
One of the biggest problems is that not everyone buys the show guide, which can make things difficult. Of course, many customers will have paid for the ticket plus car park before they have even got through the door so won't feel like buying much at that point. It's nice when they do but you can't always depend on it. Everyone who buys from me gets a price list in their bag and customers that ask get one too. I tend to give them out pretty freely.
What are the advantages of exhibiting?
We do keep a close eye on returns from the show but we also regard it as a publicity
opportunity. If people don't buy the items there, it is still a great opportunity to direct them to the website and they'll come back when they do want something. Even if there's a show that I don't do so well at, just giving leaflets to lots of new customers I haven't met before will have exposed my business to more people.
How can exhibitors make the most of this year's show?
This is the major stitching show of the year for most people who exhibit. While I do think people are generally being more careful with their money, on the whole, they're still coming to the shows. It helps to offer new items on the stand; people have a lot of 'stuff' and you need something that's going to persuade them they need more! I have a niche
market because I specialise in silk but for other stands carrying the same kind of products it's very important to stand out.
How do you think this year's show will be received?
I'm optimistic. The Harrogate show isn't quite as good as the London leg at Alexandra Palace but it does draw in a different crowd from the North and Scotland that you wouldn't otherwise reach.
One of the biggest problems is that not everyone buys the show guide, which can make things difficult. Of course, many customers will have paid for the ticket plus car park before they have even got through the door so won't feel like buying much at that point. It's nice when they do but you can't always depend on it. Everyone who buys from me gets a price list in their bag and customers that ask get one too. I tend to give them out pretty freely.
What are the advantages of exhibiting?
We do keep a close eye on returns from the show but we also regard it as a publicity
opportunity. If people don't buy the items there, it is still a great opportunity to direct them to the website and they'll come back when they do want something. Even if there's a show that I don't do so well at, just giving leaflets to lots of new customers I haven't met before will have exposed my business to more people.
How can exhibitors make the most of this year's show?
This is the major stitching show of the year for most people who exhibit. While I do think people are generally being more careful with their money, on the whole, they're still coming to the shows. It helps to offer new items on the stand; people have a lot of 'stuff' and you need something that's going to persuade them they need more! I have a niche
market because I specialise in silk but for other stands carrying the same kind of products it's very important to stand out.
How do you think this year's show will be received?
I'm optimistic. The Harrogate show isn't quite as good as the London leg at Alexandra Palace but it does draw in a different crowd from the North and Scotland that you wouldn't otherwise reach.
